Members of the Santa Margarita Water District and other dignitaries pose for a photo during the Trampas Canyon Reservoir groundbreaking ceremony in Rancho Mission Viejo on Thursday, February 22, 2018. (Photo by Foster Snell, Contributing Photographer)

Members of the Santa Margarita Water District and other dignitaries pose for a photo during the Trampas Canyon Reservoir groundbreaking ceremony in Rancho Mission Viejo on Thursday, February 22, 2018. (Photo by Foster Snell, Contributing Photographer)

Members of the Santa Margarita Water District and other dignitaries pose for a photo during the Trampas Canyon Reservoir groundbreaking ceremony in Rancho Mission Viejo on Thursday, February 22, 2018. (Photo by Foster Snell, Contributing Photographer)

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Members of the Santa Margarita Water District and other dignitaries pose for a photo during the Trampas Canyon Reservoir groundbreaking ceremony in Rancho Mission Viejo on Thursday, February 22, 2018. (Photo by Foster Snell, Contributing Photographer)

Santa Margarita Water District helmets used for the Trampas Canyon Reservoir groundbreaking ceremony in Rancho Mission Viejo on Thursday, February 22, 2018. (Photo by Foster Snell, Contributing Photographer)

RANCHO MISSION VIEJO — A reservoir capable of holding 1.6 billion gallons of recycled water is set to sustain south Orange County by the end of 2019.

Once completed, the Trampas Canyon Reservoir will store enough excess treated water in the winter months to meet irrigation demands in the region during the summer.

It will also be the largest surface water reservoir in south Orange County, with the capacity to hold more than one-half of the recycled water the district will generate from its nearby Chiquita Water Reclamation Plant, officials said.

Officials with Santa Margarita Water District and Rancho Mission Viejo celebrated the beginning of construction on the $123 million project with a groundbreaking ceremony near Rancho Mission Viejo’s Esencia neighborhoods, Thursday, Feb. 22.

“The rate of wastewater being produced by residents remains level, but the demand for irrigation is higher in the summer,” said Dan Ferons, general manager for the Santa Margarita Water District. “Right now, during the cooler season, there isn’t as much demand for irrigation, so some of that water is going to the ocean instead of storage.”

The reservoir was originally built in the 1970s as part of a sand-mining operation in the hills south of Ortega Highway. Now, SMWD is repurposing and reconstructing the reservoir to provide additional storage for use during dry periods.

More importantly, it will also capture rainwater runoff, which would ultimately wind up in the ocean, said Justin McCusker, SMWD board president.

Ferons said the district loses about 24,000 acre-feet, or 7.7 billion gallons, of recycled water per year. The Trampas Canyon Reservoir will allow the district to retain some of that excess.

The Chiquita Water Reclamation Plant produces approximately 5 million to 6 million gallons of recycled water per day, Ferons said.

“These types of projects don’t come along often,” McCusker said. “We haven’t seen a new reservoir in 30 years. This is a real infrastructure investment.”

Santa Margarita Water District serves Mission Viejo and Santa Margarita south to Rancho Mission Viejo and some parts of San Juan Capistrano. The district’s drinking water is imported, but the district uses recycled water for most of its irrigation.

The $123 million project will be paid through a State Water Resources Control Board low-interest loan, a Proposition 1 grant, Rancho Mission Viejo, designated district reserves and other funds, officials said.

Orange County Supervisor Lisa Bartlett said south Orange County still relies primarily on imported water and creating local reliable water sources is beneficial to the region.

“This allows us to be in control of our own destiny,” Bartlett said. “When it comes to water, it’s a critical thing for all our residents.”

Nathan covers crime and public safety for the Daily Breeze. Prior to joining the coverage team in the South Bay, Nathan worked for the Orange County Register, where he covered south Orange County cities and community sports. A freelance play-by-play broadcaster, Nathan can be heard calling high school baseball and community college football games during the spring on his days off.

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